Split keyboard for a tablet computer

ABSTRACT

A dual keyboard system is presented for use with a tablet computer. Each keyboard is attached to a suction cup via a hinge. The suction cups attach to the display face of the tablet computer. The keyboards can be rotated about the hinge to allow viewing of the full display of the tablet computer without detaching the keyboards. In one embodiment, the hinge is separable, allowing removal of the keyboards completely while leaving the suction cups attached to the tablet computer. In another embodiment, a master keyboard receives keystrokes directly from a slave keyboard as well as from keys located on the master keyboard. The tablet computer communicates only with the master keyboard via a radio frequency link. The slave keyboard communicates with the master keyboard via a radio frequency or infrared link.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/737,100, filed Dec. 14, 2012, which is hereby incorporated byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to the field of keyboards for computingdevices. More particularly, the described embodiments relate to a splitkeyboard for use with tablet computers.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the present invention provides a physical keyboardsystem that can be attached to the front face of a tablet computer. Thekeyboard system utilizes two separate keyboards, with a first keyboardfor use with one hand on a first side of the tablet computer, and asecond keyboard for use with a second hand on a second side of thetablet computer. Each keyboard can be attached to the display screen ofthe tablet computer using a suction cup and one or more stabilizingfeet. The keyboards are connected to their respective suction cups via aseparable hinge, which allows the keyboards to be tilted upwards toallow access to that portion of the tablet computer found under thekeyboard.

In one of the embodiments, the two keyboards each contain a differentset of physical keys. A first one of the keyboards has a wirelessconnection to the second keyboard. The second keyboard has a wirelessconnection to the tablet computer. Keystrokes received at the secondkeyboard are converted to a wireless signal that is sent to the tabletcomputer over the wireless connection between the second keyboard andthe tablet computer. Keystrokes received at the first keyboard areconverted to a wireless signal that is sent to the second keyboard. Thesecond keyboard then utilizes the received signal to generate anotherwireless signal that is sent as a keystroke to the tablet computer.Because there is an inherent delay caused by the additional processingand transmission for keystrokes received on the first keyboard, oneembodiment of the present invention inserts a delay in the processing ofkeystrokes from the second keyboard. In one embodiment, the firstkeyboard transmits signals to the second keyboard via an infrared lightsignal, while the second keyboard transmits data to the tablet computervia a Bluetooth wireless connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first keyboard that forms part of asplit keyboard system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second keyboard that forms part of thesplit keyboard system.

FIG. 3 is a front-face plan view of the first and second keyboardsjoined together to form a single merged keyboard.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the split keyboard system in use with atablet computer.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the first keyboard separatedfrom a portion of a separable hinge.

FIG. 6 is a bottom-side plan view of the split keyboard system in usewith the tablet computer.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the internal components of thesplit keyboard system and the tablet computer.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the process used by one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the process used to attach one embodimentof a split keyboard to a tablet computer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a first keyboard 100 that forms one half of a splitkeyboard system. This keyboard 100 has a body section 102 that includesa plurality of physical keys 110. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,each key 110 can be pressed physically inward into the keyboard 100 totrigger a switch (not shown) located underneath the key 110. Theswitching mechanism may be a dome-switch, as is well known in the priorart of keyboard construction. Other switch technologies could also beused, such as a membrane switch, a scissor-switch, a buckling-springswitch, a capacitive switch, or a hall-effect switch. It is alsopossible to implement the keys 110 with a touch-sensitive surface thatdoes not require the physical translation of the key 110 to register theuser's keystroke.

The keyboard 100 is attached to a tablet computer via a hingedattachment mechanism, such as the separable hinge 120. The hinge 120includes a mechanism to attach the keyboard to the face of a tabletcomputer (such as the suction cup 510 discussed below in connection withFIG. 5). By using a hinged attachment mechanism 120, the keyboard 100can be folded up away from the tablet computer to temporarily allow auser to view beneath the keyboard 100. In FIG. 1, the hinged attachmentmechanism 120 is located on side 142 of the keyboard body 102 nearestthe shift and function keys 110.

The keyboard 100 is designed to wirelessly communicate each stroke ofits keys 110. Since the keyboard 100 does not receive power through awired connection to a power source, the keyboard 100 requires batterypower in order to operate. Like other battery-powered keyboards,keyboard 100 can save battery power by effectively turning off when nokey 110 has been pressed for a period of time. The keyboard uses a powerlight 130 to communicate to the user that the keyboard 100 is currentlypowered on and has sufficient battery power to operate. In someembodiments, the power light 130 is able to communicate when batterypower is low, such as by blinking. In still other embodiments, the colorof the power light 130 may indicate the connection status of thekeyboard 100 (whether the keyboard 100 has established a data connectionto another device).

FIG. 2 shows a second keyboard 200 that forms the second half of a splitkeyboard system. Like the first keyboard 100, the second keyboard has abody 202 containing a plurality of keys 210 that are linked to amechanism to receive keystrokes from a user. The second keyboard 200also has a separable hinge 220 to attach the keyboard 200 to a displayface of a tablet computer and a power indicator light 230 to disclosepower and connection status to a user. The second keyboard 200 can alsomove to a lower power mode during periods of non-use in order to savebattery power, as described previously in connection with the firstkeyboard 100.

The two keyboards 100, 200 can optionally be joined together to form asingle merged keyboard 300, as shown in FIG. 3. To facilitate thejoining of the two keyboards 100, 200 together, the second keyboard 200utilizes a pair of posts 250 found on the facing side 240 of thekeyboard 200. The facing side 240 of keyboard 200 is that side thatfaces the first keyboard 100 when the two keyboards are in use. In oneembodiment, the first keyboard 100 and second keyboard 200 combine toprovide the letters of the alphabet in a “qwerty” keyboardconfiguration, with the first keyboard 100 being positioned to the leftof the second keyboard 200 to create the qwerty configuration. In thisposition, the facing side 240 of the second keyboard 200 will bepositioned facing left toward the first keyboard 100. Similarly, thefacing side 140 of the first keyboard 100 is that side of the keyboard100 which faces the second keyboard 200 during use (namely the rightside in the examples shown in the Figures). The posts 250 mate withholes 150 found on the facing side 140 of the first keyboard 100. In thepreferred embodiment, each post 250 is constructed with an indentation252 on a side portion of the post 250. A matching protrusion is locatedwithin each hole 150. By spring loading the protrusion, the distal endof the post 250 (that part of the post 250 most distal from the facingside 240 of the second keyboard 200), may push aside the protrusion whenthe post 250 is inserted into the hole 150. By continuing to push thepost 250 into the hole 150, the spring-biased protrusion will line upwith the indentation 252 and hold the post 250 within the hole 150 bypushing into the indentation 252. The spring tension urges theprotrusion against the indentation 252, which holds the two keyboards100, 200 together as a merged keyboard 300. The user may later separatethe merged keyboard 300 by simply pulling the keyboards 100, 200 apart.

In the preferred embodiment, only one of the two keyboards 100, 200directly interfaces with a tablet computer. This keyboard is consideredthe master keyboard, and it communicates with the tablet computerinterface via a radio frequency signal. In the preferred embodiment,this RF signal is a Bluetooth connection that complies with one of thestandards of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (such as the Bluetoothlow energy, or “Bluetooth Smart,” standard for low power devices). Thesecond keyboard, known as the slave keyboard, sends all of itskeystrokes to the master keyboard. When the master keyboard receiveskeystrokes from the slave keyboard, it forwards those keystrokes on tothe tablet computer over the Bluetooth interface. In the Figures, thefirst keyboard 100 could be configured as the slave keyboard and thesecond keyboard 200 could be configured as the master keyboard. Thecommunication of keystrokes from the slave keyboard 100 to the masterkeyboard 200 can take place over a wired or wireless connection. In FIG.1, the first keyboard 100 is shown with a male electrical connector 160on its facing side 140 which interfaces with a matches a femaleelectrical connector 260 found on the facing side of the second keyboard200. When the two keyboards 100, 200 are joined into the merged keyboard300, keystrokes received on the first keyboard are communicated via thewired connection created by interfaces 160, 260, and then sent viaBluetooth to the tablet computer.

In FIG. 4, the two keyboards 100, 200 are shown separated, located onthe left and right side, respectively, of a tablet computer 400. As canbe seen in this figure, the two keyboards 100, 200 are mounted directlyon the front, display face 410 of the tablet computer 400. The twokeyboards 100, 200 are sized so that they can be reached by a user'sthumbs while the user is holding the tablet computer 400. For instance,if tablet 400 has a longest dimension of between 9-10 inches, keyboard100 is sized so that the furthest reach from the hinge 120 to any key onthe keyboard 100 is less than 3 inches.

As was also the case in FIG. 3, the facing side 140 of the firstkeyboard 100 still faces the facing side 240 of the second keyboard 200in FIG. 4, even though the two facing sides 140, 240 are not in contactwith one another. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the male and femaleconnectors 160, 260 cannot engage. In fact, FIG. 4 does not show themale connector 160 on the first keyboard 100. In one embodiment, themale connector 160 is a retractable connector that can be retracted intothe facing side 140 of the first keyboard 100 when it is not in use. Inanother embodiment, the male and female connectors 160, 260 are simplyexcluded from the design and construction of the keyboards 100, 200.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, keystrokes received on the slavekeyboard 100 are sent wirelessly to the master keyboard 200 before theyare forwarded to the tablet computer 400 via the Bluetooth link. In oneembodiment, these keystrokes are transmitted from the slave keyboard byan infrared transmitter 170. This transmitter 170 is located on thefacing side 140 of the first keyboard, and transmits an infrared signalto an infrared receiver 270 found on the facing side 240 of the secondkeyboard 200. When a key 110 is pressed on the first keyboard 100, it istranslated into an infrared signal that is transmitted over thetransmitter 170 to receiver 270. The second keyboard receives thissignal, and translates it to a keystroke signal that is sent to thetablet computer 400.

In a different embodiment, the communication between the first keyboard100 and the second keyboard 200 takes place over a radio frequencycommunication path as opposed to an infrared light communication path.This radio communication path between the keyboards 100, 200 canformatted according to a Bluetooth protocol similar to the protocol usedto communicate with the tablet computer 400. When using a Bluetoothprotocol, it is advisable to configure the first keyboard 100 to begenerally non-discoverable except during the linkage between the firstand second keyboard 100, 200. This means that the tablet computer 400will not detect the presence of first (slave) keyboard 100 even when thetablet 400 is attempting to link with an external keyboard. At the sametime, the second keyboard 200 will be discoverable. This means that thetablet computer 400 will sense only the Bluetooth connection of thesecond (master) keyboard 200, and all communications between eitherkeyboard 100, 200 will take place over the Bluetooth connectionestablished between the second keyboard 200 and the tablet computer 400.

As explained above, when the slave keyboard 100 encounters a period ofinactivity, it can turn off power to its internal components to savebattery life until a user presses a key 110 on the keyboard 100. Themaster keyboard 200 may also power down, but it must power back up inresponse to a press of its own keys 210 or to a signal received from theslave keyboard 100. If the master keyboard 200 were to sleep in poweroff mode until a key 210 has been pressed, the master keyboard 200 maynot receive and properly handle a wireless signal from the slavekeyboard 100. To avoid this issue, the master keyboard 200 may maintainpower on its receiver components, such as the infrared receiver 270 orits Bluetooth receiver in order to be able to handle signals from theslave keyboard 100. If the two keyboards 100, 200 are connected via wire(such as through connectors 160, 260), then the two keyboards 100, 200could wake simultaneously in response to the press of a key 110, 210, oneither keyboard. In some embodiments, the master keyboard 200 wouldoperate identically to the slave keyboard 100, and it would be necessaryto press a key on the master keyboard 200 to wake it before the masterkeyboard 200 would transmit a signal received from the slave keyboard100. In these instances, a power button may be placed on the masterkeyboard 200 that would wake it without transmitting a keystroke to thetablet computer 400.

In yet another embodiment, both keyboards 100, 200 can establishseparate and independent RF (e.g., Bluetooth) connections to the tabletcomputer 400. One advantage of this embodiment is that both keyboards100, 200 may sleep and avoid draining any power from their batteriesuntil a key 100, 200 is pressed by a user. A second advantage of thisembodiment is that it is not necessary to establish a data communicationpath between the two keyboards 100, 200, nor require two separate datapathways within the master keyboard 200 for the transmission ofkeystrokes to the tablet computer 400. One disadvantage is that theoperator of the tablet computer 400 must establish separate Bluetoothpairings with each keyboard 100, 200, which may cause confusion fornovice users.

FIG. 5 shows the details of the separable hinge 120 that is used toattach the first keyboard 100 to the tablet computer 400. The separablehinge 120 includes a suction cup 510 that can be used to secure thehinge 120 to the flat face 410 of the tablet computer 400. The closedend of the suction cup 510 is attached to a base portion 520 of thehinge 120. When the open end of the suction cup 510 is pressed againstthe face 410 of the tablet computer 400, air is expelled from under thecup 510 which creates a pressure difference between the outside of thecup 510 and under the cup 510, thereby holding the cup 510 and the baseportion 520 of the hinge 120 to the tablet computer 400. In thepreferred embodiment, the suction cup 510 has a circular shape with adiameter that is wider than base portion 520, such that at least oneedge 512 of the suction cup 510 is not completely hidden by the baseportion 520 when attached to the tablet computer 400. This allows a userto lift the edge 512 of the suction cup 510 to pressurize the area underthe suction cup 510, thereby releasing its grip on the display 410 ofthe tablet computer 400. In some embodiments, a protrusion (not shown)on the cup 510 assists the user in lifting the edge 512 of the cup 510during the removal process.

The base portion 520 of the hinge 120 includes a flat support portion522 and two raised pivot arms 524, 526. Each pivot arm 524, 526 extendsfrom a rear end 523 of the base portion 520. In addition, each pivot arm524, 526 contains a slot 528, 530 that is sized and shaped to receive anextension 542, 544 found on the keyboard portion 540 of the hinge 120.The keyboard portion 540 is fixedly attached to the keyboard 100 and islocated on the hinge side 142 of the keyboard 100 opposite the facingside 140. Each extension 542, 544 has a D-shaped cross section, and canbe inserted into the slots 528, 530 only when the keyboard 100 ispositioned perpendicularly with respect to the support portion 522, asshown in FIG. 5. This is because the opening of each slot 528, 530 ismore narrow than the lower portion of each slot 528, 530, as shown inFIG. 5. When the arms 542, 544 are fully inserted into the slots 528,530, the arms 542, 544 can pivot within the slots 528, 530 so that thekeyboard 100 extends parallel to and in contact with the support portion522 of the hinge 120. In effect, the arms 542, 544 and the pivot arms524, 526 form the pivot portion of the hinge 120 (like a barrel in astandard hinge) about which the keyboard 100 can rotate with respect tothe base portion 520.

As shown in FIG. 6, each keyboard 100, 200, can be attached to thedisplay face 410 of the tablet computer 400 via their removable hinges120, 220. The keyboard 100 is shown in FIG. 6 with a bottom side 550 ofthe keyboard 100 resting on the support portion 522 of the hinge 120,with the suction cup 510 firmly attached to face 410. As shown in FIGS.5 and 6, the keyboard 100 is also outfitted with at least one foot 560that is located on the bottom side 550 of the keyboard 100 proximal tothe keyboard's facing side 140. This foot 560 is sized so as to restagainst the display face 410 of the tablet computer 400 when the suctioncup 510 of the hinge is attached to the face 410 and the bottom 550 ofthe keyboard 100 rests on the support surface 522 of the hinge 120. Inone embodiment, two feet 560 are located on the bottom surface 550 ofthe keyboard 100, each equidistant from the keyboard's facing side 140.These feet 560 keep the keyboard 100 stable during the pressing of thekeys 110 on the keyboard 100. As shown in FIG. 6, the second keyboard200 is similarly constructed.

FIG. 7 schematically shows an embodiment of a system 700 that uses afirst (or slave) keyboard 710 and a second (or master) keyboard 720 tosend keystroke signals to a tablet computer 730. This system 700 is usedin combination with the process 800 shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, steps805-815 are shown within dashed box 710, indicating that these stepsoccur on the first keyboard 710. Similarly, steps 820-830, and steps845-855 occur on the second keyboard 720, while steps 835 and 840 occuron tablet 730.

The process 800 begins at step 805, when the first keyboard 710 receivesa keystroke from one of the keys 712 found on the keyboard 710. Akeyboard processor 714 receives this keystroke from the source key 712and then creates an appropriate keyboard keystroke signal 750 for thatkey 712 (step 810). The keyboard processor 714 can be a programmed,general-purpose microcontroller such as those made available throughIntel Corporation (Santa Clara, Calif.), or can be anapplication-specific integrated circuit (or “ASIC”) or a fieldprogrammable device (such as an FPGA) specifically designed to handlethe processing requirements of the keyboards 710, 720. While it ispreferred that the keyboard processor 714 be formed as a single siliconchip or electronic element, it is possible to implement the differentfunctions of the keyboard processor 714 in physically separateelectronic devices. A wireless transmitter 716 then sends the keyboardkeystroke signal 750 to the second keyboard 720 at step 815. In thepreferred embodiment, the wireless transmitter 716 transmits infraredlight signals or radio frequency signals from the first keyboard 710 tothe second keyboard 720.

The second keyboard 720 has a wireless receiver 722 that receives thekeyboard keystroke signal 750 from the first keyboard 710 at step 820.The second keyboard 720 also contains a keyboard processor 724 thatconverts the keyboard keystroke signal 750 into a signal that would beunderstood by the tablet computer 730 at step 825. A wirelesstransmitter 726 built into the second keyboard 720 then transmits thistablet keystroke signal 760 at step 830.

The tablet computer 730 receives the tablet keystroke signal 760 via itswireless receiver 732 (step 835). A processor 734 receives the tabletkeystroke signal 760 and implements the keystroke at step 840. Theprocessor 734 will implement the keystroke according to its operatingsystem 740 and the applications and related data 742 that are currentlyoperating on the processor 734. The tablet computer 730 stores theoperating system 740 and the applications and related data 742 in itsmemory 738. The results of the processing in step 840 are then displayedon the display/touch input device 736 of the tablet 730, and the process800 ends for that keystroke.

The second keyboard 720 also has a plurality of keys 728 that receiveinput from a user of the system 700. When these keys 728 register akeystroke, a keystroke signal is sent from the keys 728 to the keyboardprocessor 724 on the keyboard 720. This is shown in step 845 in FIG. 8,which forms a second way in which process 800 can start. At step 850,the keyboard processor 724 processes this signal, and converts thesignal into a tablet keystroke signal that could be sent by the wirelesstransmitter 726 to the tablet computer 730.

Keyboard 720 is designed to transmit keystroke signals 760 to the tabletcomputer 730 whether the keystroke originated with a pressed key 712 onthe first keyboard 710, or a pressed key 728 on the second keyboard 720.In use, the system 700 will be receiving keystrokes on both keyboards710, 720, with a user using both of their hands to press keys 712, 728on either keyboard 710, 720. Because it is important for the signals 760for each keystroke to be sent to the tablet computer 730 in the sameorder that the related keys 712, 728 were pressed by the user, it issometimes necessary to delay the keystroke signals 760 that originate onthe second keyboard 720. This is because the steps required before thetransmission of a signal based on pressing keys 712 (namely steps815-825) can take a fraction of a second longer to implement than stepsrequired before the transmission of a signal based on pressing keys 728(namely steps 845-850). In these circumstances, step 855 implements adelay before transmitting keystrokes received on keys 728. After thisdelay, these keystroke signals 760 are transmitted by the wirelesstransmitter 726 at step 830, and are implemented by the tablet computer730 in steps 835-840.

FIG. 9 shows a process 900 for attaching a keyboard to a tabletcomputer. To clarify this process 900, it will be described using theembodiments shown in FIGS. 1-5 above, although it would be possible toimplement process 900 using other configurations. The process 900 beginsat step 905, where the first half of the separable hinge 120 (such asbase portion 520) is attached to a suction cup 510. At step 910, thesecond half of the separable hinge 120 (the keyboard portion 540) isattached to the keyboard 100. At step 915, these two halves 520, 540 areconnected. For the embodiment shown above, this is accomplished bysliding the D-shaped arms 542, 544 of the keyboard portion 540 into theslots 528, 530 found in the base portion 520. When the two halves 520,540 of the separable hinge 120 are combined, they provide a functioninghinge that allows for rotation of the keyboard 100 with respect to thesuction cup 510.

At step 920, the suction cup 510 is attached to the display 410 of atablet computer 400. As explained above, this is accomplished bypressing the cup 510 to remove the air located between the cup 510 andthe display 410. The suction cup 510 is most easily attached when thekeyboard 100 is rotated perpendicularly with respect to the supportsection 522 of base portion 520, such as shown in FIG. 5. At step 925,the keyboard 100 is rotated downward relative to the display 410 of thetablet computer about the hinge 120. This should bring the bottom side550 of the keyboard 100 to rest on the support section 522, as shown inFIG. 6. In this position, the keyboard foot 560 should also be broughtinto contact with the tablet display 410 (step 930). At step 935, asecond keyboard 200 can be physically attached to the tablet display 410in the same manner (by applying steps 905-930 to the second keyboard200). At this point, process 900 terminates and the keyboards 100, 200are ready for use (according to process 800).

By making hinge 120 “separable,” it is possible to separate the keyboard100 from the suction cup 510. It is, of course, possible to implementhinge 120 is such a way that the keyboard 100 is not separable from thesuction cup 510. This would still allow rotation of the keyboard 100with respect to the suction cup 510 and the tablet computer 400, but itwould eliminate the feature of removing the keyboard 100 temporarilywhile keeping the suction cup 510 in place. Furthermore, it is possibleto connect the keyboard 100 to the suction cup 510 without the use of arotating hinge 120 at all. This would allow use of the keyboard 100 inthe configuration shown in FIG. 4, but prevent the keyboard 100 frombeing easily tilted to see more of the tablet screen 410 withoutremoving the keyboard 100.

It is also possible to develop different attachment mechanismsaltogether for the two keyboards 100, 200. For instance, instead ofhinges 120, 220, the keyboards 100, 200 could be constructed with clampsthat clamp to the edges of the tablet computer 400. These clamps couldalso be constructed with hinges to allow the keyboard to rotate upwardsfor temporarily viewing that portion of the tablet display 410 that maybe covered by the keyboards 100, 200.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from theabove description. Numerous modifications and variations will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art. Since such modifications arepossible, the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructionand operation illustrated and described. Rather, the present inventionshould be limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A keyboard system comprising: a) a first keyboardhaving: i) a first set of keys, ii) a first wireless transmitter, andiii) a first keyboard processor that receives keystrokes from the firstset of keys and converts the keystrokes into a keyboard keystroke signalthat is transmitted over the wireless transmitter; and b) a secondkeyboard having: i) a second set of keys, ii) a wireless receiver thatreceives the keyboard keystroke signal from the first wirelesstransmitter of the first keyboard, iii) a second wireless transmitter,and iv) a keyboard processors that (1) receives keystrokes from thesecond set of keys and converts the keystrokes into a first tabletkeystroke signal that is transmitted over the second wirelesstransmitter, and (2) receives the keyboard keystroke signal from thewireless receiver and converts the keyboard keystroke signal into asecond tablet keystroke signal that is transmitted over the secondwireless transmitter.
 2. The keyboard system of claim 1, wherein thefirst wireless transmitter transmits an infrared signal and the wirelessreceiver receives the infrared signal.
 3. The keyboard system of claim2, wherein the second wireless transmitter transmits a radio frequencysignal to a tablet computer.
 4. The keyboard system of claim 1, whereinthe first wireless transmitter transmits a first radio frequency signaland the wireless receiver receives the first radio frequency signal. 5.The keyboard system of claim 4, wherein the second wireless transmittertransmits a second radio frequency signal to a tablet computer, andfurther wherein the first and second radio frequency signals are bothformatted according to a Bluetooth standard created by the BluetoothSpecial Interest Group, and further wherein the first radio frequencysignal is non-discoverable at the same time the second radio frequencysignal is discoverable by the tablet computer.
 6. A keyboard for atablet computer comprising: a) a keyboard body having a top side and abottom side; b) a set of keys located on the top side of the keyboardbody; and c) a suction cup having a closed end and an open end, with theclosed attached to the bottom side of the keyboard body.
 7. The keyboardof claim 6, further comprising: d) a radio frequency transmitter fortransmitting keystrokes, based on pressed keys in the first set of keys,as radio frequency signals
 8. The keyboard of claim 7, furthercomprising: e) a tablet computer having: i) a radio frequency receiverfor receiving the transmitted keystrokes, and ii) a flat display screen;wherein the open end of the suction cup is attached to the flat displayscreen of the tablet computer.
 9. The keyboard of claim 7, furthercomprising: f) a hinge having i) a first portion attached to the bottomside of the keyboard body, ii) a second portion attached to the closedend of the suction cup, and iii) a pivot portion that allows the firstand second portions to rotate with respect to one another.
 10. Thekeyboard of claim 9, wherein the second portion comprises a supportportion upon which the bottom side of the keyboard rests when thekeyboard is in a use position.
 11. The keyboard of claim 10, furthercomprising: g) a foot located on the bottom side of the keyboard body,the foot contacting the flat display screen of the tablet computer whenthe keyboard rests on the support portion in a use position and the openend of the suction cup is attached to the flat display screen.
 12. Thekeyboard of claim 11, further comprising: h) a second keyboard bodyhaving: i) a top side and a bottom side, ii) a second set of keyslocated on the top side of the second keyboard body, the second set ofkeys including a plurality of keys not found in the first set of keys,iii) a second foot located on the bottom side of the second keyboardbody, iv) a second hinge attached to the bottom side of the secondkeyboard body, the second hinge having a second pivot point, and v) asecond suction cup having a closed end attached to the second hingeopposite the second pivot point of the keyboard body, the second suctioncup also have an open end attached to the flat display screen of thetablet computer.
 13. The keyboard of claim 12, wherein the secondkeyboard body further comprises: vi) a second wireless transmitter thattransmits keyboard keystroke signals; wherein the keyboard furthercomprises a wireless receiver on the first keyboard body that receiveskeyboard keystroke signals from the second wireless transmitter; andfurther wherein the radio frequency transmitter transmits keystrokesbased on received keyboard keystroke signals to the tablet computer. 14.The keyboard of claim 13, wherein the second wireless transmittertransmits an infrared signal.
 15. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein thehinge is a separable hinge.
 16. The keyboard of claim 15, wherein thepivot portion of the hinge is formed by a pair of arms on the firstportion of the hinge resting in a pair of slots found on the secondportion of the hinge, wherein the first and second portions of the hingecan be separated by removing the pair of arms from the pair of slots.17. A method for using a pair of keyboards with a tablet computercomprising: a) attaching a first keyboard to a display of the tabletcomputer; b) attaching a second keyboard to the display of the tabletcomputer; c) receiving a first key press of a first key located on thefirst keyboard; d) transmitting a first signal indicative of the firstkey press over a first wireless link from the first keyboard to thesecond keyboard; e) transmitting a second signal indicative of the firstkey press over a second wireless link from the second keyboard to thetablet computer; f) receiving a second key press of a second key locatedon the second keyboard; and g) transmitting a third signal indicative ofthe second key press over the second wireless link from the secondkeyboard to the tablet computer.
 18. The method of claim 17, furthercomprising delaying the transmission of the third signal to compensatefor the delay between receiving the first key press of the first key andthe transmission of the second signal.
 19. The method of claim 17,wherein the step of attaching the first keyboard to the display of thetablet computer further comprises: i) attaching the first keyboard to asuction cup via a hinge, ii) attaching the suction cup to the display ofthe tablet computer, and iii) swiveling the first keyboard about thehinge from a vertical position to a horizontal position that isapproximately parallel with the display of the tablet computer.
 20. Amethod for using a pair of keyboards with a tablet computer comprising:a) providing a first keyboard having a first subset of keys; b)providing a second keyboard having a second subset of keys, the secondsubset of keys having a plurality of keys not found in the first subsetof keys; c) establishing a first Bluetooth connection directly betweenthe first keyboard and a tablet computer; d) establishing a secondBluetooth connection directly between the second keyboard and the tabletcomputer; e) submitting a first keystroke signal from the first keyboardto the tablet computer over the first Bluetooth connection without thefirst keystroke signal passing through the second keyboard; and f)submitting a second keystroke signal from the second keyboard to thetablet computer over the second Bluetooth connection without the secondkeystroke signal passing through the first keyboard.